Brooklyn Public Library today announced its six-book shortlist for the 2018 Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize for fiction/poetry and nonfiction. The shortlist nominees are Roxane Gay, Jenny Zhang, Carmen Maria Machado, Francisco Cantú, Danez Smith, and Jeanne Theoharis. Winners will be announced on November 2.
“The Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize shortlist reflects our librarians’ wide-ranging knowledge of contemporary literature and the issues that resonate within the communities we serve,” said BPL President and CEO Linda E. Johnson. “With this award, we celebrate extraordinary books and writers, along with the many people—librarians, booksellers, publishers, and readers—who contribute so much to Brooklyn's literary life.”
One of only a few major literary prizes awarded by a public library system, BPL’s Literary Prize nominees are selected entirely by librarians. The 2018 selections include two debut short story collections, a book of poetry, and two memoirs.
The BPL librarians who comprise the Prize selection committee serve communities from Sheepshead Bay to Williamsburg to Red Hook; and specialize in fields ranging from adult literature, business and career services, and historical collections. They are among the dedicated staff across BPL’s 59 branch libraries, which serve as vibrant town squares in every neighborhood throughout Brooklyn.
The nominated authors and works—in both the fiction and nonfiction categories—tackle complex topics ranging from the American civil rights movement to physical and emotional trauma, to immigration and young adulthood, mirroring the vast collections of the library, which encompasses myriad geographies, generations, and experiences. As a leader in expanding the role of libraries in addressing the needs and issues that are vital to the communities they serve and the nation as a whole, these works reflect BPL’s dedication to fostering civic literacy and community engagement among the 2.6 million individuals who make Brooklyn home, as well as strengthening the fabric of the community and providing resources of the highest quality, free of charge.
The nominated works follow below.
Fiction and Poetry (Alphabetical by last name):
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
Imprint: Graywolf Press
Don't Call Us Dead: Poems by Danez Smith
Imprint: Graywolf Press
Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang
Imprint: Penguin Random House (Lenny imprint)
Nonfiction (Alphabetical by last name):
The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cantú
Imprint: Penguin Random House
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay
Imprint: HarperCollins
A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History by Jeanne Theoharis
Imprint: Beacon Press
The Prize was established in 2015 by the Brooklyn Eagles, a group of young patrons who support the library and its programs. It recognizes works that question established ways of thinking and which advance Brooklyn Public Library's mission of bringing together the borough's diverse communities to explore urgent social, political, and artistic issues.
The winners will be celebrated at The Brooklyn Classic, the annual fundraising event of the Brooklyn Eagles, on November 2 at Park Slope Library.
The Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize is generously supported by the Peck Stacpoole Foundation.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL’s eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: www.bklynlibrary.org.